In the Zormat district of Paktia province, about 80 miles south of the Afghan capital, coalition forces targeted a known Taliban militant believed to act as a liaison to al-Qaida by moving foreign fighters into the area to conduct terrorist activities. He also is believed to have ties to senior Taliban leaders in the region, coordinating roadside-bomb and suicide attacks that target government and military personnel and Afghan civilians, officials said.

During the operation, coalition troops encountered two armed militants barricaded inside the compound, who engaged the force with small-arms fire. The force returned small-arms fire, killing the two men while protecting five women and nine children. Three other suspected militants were detained. A search of the compound revealed multiple AK-47 assault rifles, other military equipment and a foreign passport.

“Continued success in disrupting terrorist networks means we are setting the conditions for improved governance and better well-being for the Afghan people,” Army Col. Jerry O’Hara, U.S. Forces Afghanistan spokesman, said. “The Taliban cannot bring that progress or a better way of life.”